You often hear people going on about how things aren’t working out for them. This could be professionally, personally, socially or in any other way. You might feel the same about your own life.
One thing you might want to ask yourself is, are you being proactive enough? Are you doing enough to set the wheels in motion?
Proactive over Reactive
In many situations, people operate from a reactive place. As opposed to being prepared, they wait on situations to come to a point where their only choice is to respond.
We’re going to elaborate on what being proactive is all about.
Connecting With Your Competence
The trouble with many of us is that we tend to slide into lazy complacency. We feel we’re powerless and cannot do much to change the situations we’re in. Internalize the fact that this is just not true.
Connect with your skills, talents and most of all, your inherent ability to influence situations you’re in, in a positive manner.
Take Ownership
Stop fussing about how things don’t go your way. It won’t help you and it certainly doesn’t make you more proactive. Rather, take the bull by the horns and know you’re the one in the driving seat and no one else.
If you want a new job, start searching; if you want a pay raise, meet your targets. Take control.
Don’t blame the situation; rather, see what you can do to rectify it and then do just that!
Immediate Goals
Set immediate or short-term goals that you know you can manage and go about achieving them. This helps on days when you feel overwhelmed by the long journey. Be consistent, be diligent and see your short-term goals through, other things will fall into place.
Foresight
While going about meeting short-term goals and targets, keep the bigger picture in mind. Not just what could go right but also what could go wrong. This will help you come up with contingencies in advance. That way, even if things do not go your way, you’ll have a plan in place to turn the situation around.
Concern and Influence
Your circle of concern is all the things in your life that concern you. This is anything—from feeling like you need exercise to worry about the state of the world.
Your circle of influence, however, as theory suggests is the things that you can actually do something about!
Connect with the things you can change or influence and go about doing the same. Waste less energy on things that don’t really matter, like a co-worker who chews gum loudly!
Bottom Line
If you’re proactive, there’s no way you won’t turn your life around. Take charge. Move forward. Be proactive. Check out what bestselling author and professional motivational and business keynote speaker Bill Wooditch has to say. You can hire Bill Wooditch to address your organization or work staff or watch one of his motivational videos online!
One way or another, it’s time to take charge!
